Travelling wall crane



Aug. 21, 1962 E|LER TRAVELLING WALL CRANE 2' Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 31, 1961 /n vemol PETER E/L ER ,5; W QW Aug. 21, 1962 P. EILER 3,050,195

TRAVELLING WALL CRANE Filed May 31, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 //7ve/27or PE TER E/LER ilnited states; Patent 3,050,195 TRAVELLING WALL CRANE Peter Eiler, 35 Burgschmitstrasse, Nurnberg, Germany Filed May 31, 1961, Ser. No. 113,784 Claims priority, application Germany June 1, 1960 12 Claims. (Cl. 212-17) The present invention relates to a travelling wall crane, more particularly, to a crane having a frame travelling along horizontal rails mounted on a vertical wall and a boom pivotally mounted on said frame for pivotal movement about a vertical axis.

The conventional travelling wall crane comprises a frame which runs on three horizontally extending rails mounted on a vertical structure, and a boom pivotally mounted on the frame so as to pivot about a vertical axis through an angle of about 180. Such cranes having a pivotally mounted boom require less space when travelling since the boom may be positioned substantially parallel to the wall. Other forms of overhead cranes wherein the boom is stationary always have the boom projecting and accordingly this projecting boom limits the use of other cranes in conjunction with these overhead cranes. By utilizing the travelling wall crane having a pivoting boom one can mount a conventional overhead crane above this boom and can cause the overhead crane to travel over the wall crane. The overhead crane can have a boom which extends across the entire width of the structure in which the cranes are mounted.

Travelling wall cranes generally comprise a substantially rigidly constructed frame on which horizontally travelling wheels are so positioned that a statically indeterminate four-point structure is established. The frame is generally formed in the shape of a rectangle and has two vertically spaced shoulders at substantially its center for the mounting of the boom.

This construction, however, produces a considerable bending strain of the frame, particularly when the boom forms an acute angle with respect to the crane runway when carrying a load. Because of the statically indeterminate support of the frame it is not possible to take advantage of any allowable bending stresses since an undesirable deformation would accordingly result. In order to overcome these bending strains the weight of conventional side wall cranes is comparatively high.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide a novel and improved travelling wall crane.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a lightweight travelling wall crane which has a greater load capacity.

The present invention essentially comprises a travelling wall crane which has a triangular-shaped frame with the bottom side thereof being parallel with respect to the horizontal guide rails. The travelling wheels mounted on the frame and which receive vertical forces are so arranged that the direction of these forces passes through or as close as possible to the intersections of the frame members with the bottom side. With this arrangement the frame is subject to a relatively low bending strain and the forces are transmitted primarily in tension and compression.

A statically determinate three-point support of the triangular frame can be easily obtained by supporting the frame at the three angles thereof. This can be done by guiding the triangular frame on the upper guide rail through a horizontally positioned travelling wheel mounted on the apex of the frame. If this arrangement produces a load on the upper rail which is too great, a balancing lever having horizontally travelling wheels at its ends can be pivotally supported about a vertical axis at the apex of the triangular frame.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent upon reference to the accompanying description when taken in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the travelling wall crane of this invention with the supporting wall structure being shown in section;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view, taken along the line 11-11 of FIGURE 1 to show a front elevational view of the frame;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view, taken along the line IIIIII of FIGURE 2 to provide substantially a top plan view of the travelling wall crane.

A specific embodiment of this invention will next be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference symbols indicate the same parts throughout the'various views.

With particular reference to FIGURES l and 2 the travelling wall crane comprises a frame 1 which is constructed as an isosceles triangle. The frame 1 comprises a base 1B which is parallel to the horizontal guide rails and two side members 18 and IS.

The lower ends of the sides 18 and 18' are connected with the base member 1B at the intersections or angles A and B, respectively. The upper ends of the side members 18 and 18' are connected to form the apex joint generally indicated at C. In order to obtain a high strength-toweight ratio the triangular frame may be constructed out of hollow members which are connected at their ends to form an integral triangular frame.'

At the joints A and B are mounted vertical travelling wheels 2 which are driven through a reduction gearing 3 which, in turn, is powered by a traction motor 4. i

A pair of horizontally positioned travelling wheels 5 are mounted in bearing drums 6 which are welded to the drum base member 1B. The travelling Wheels 5 receive horizontal forces acting on the lower portion of the drum.

The balancing lever 7 which is essentially in the form of a walking beam is pivotally supported about a vertical axis at the apex C of the frame. Horizontally positioned travelling wheels 8 are mounted at the ends of the lever 7.

The vertical supporting forces acting against the frame member are represented at one end of the frame by the arrow D. The arrow D acts upon the travelling wheel 2, which is so positioned at the angle A of the frame that the force D acts through the intersection of the center lines E and F of the frame members 18 and 1B, respectively. If, for practical reasons, the wheels cannot be positioned so as to obtain this precise relationship, it is then preferable that the wheels be positioned as close as possible to the intersection of the center lines of these two frame members.

The boom of the crane is also constructed in a triangular form. The boom comprises an upper tension member 9 and a lower compressive member 10 whose inner ends are connected by a spacer or connecting member 11. The connecting member 11 is formed so as to have an outwardly bent portion 11A, as may be seen in FIGURE 1. Theboom is pivotally mounted on the frame at the bearings 12 and 13 which are positioned at the apex and center of the frame member 1B, respectively.

In order to obtain a favorable transmission of forces from the boom to the frame, the bracket supporting the bearing 12 is positioned on or as close as possible to the apex C which will be the intersection of the center lines of the frame sides 18 and IS. The bracket supporting the lower bearing 13 is positioned as close as possible and preferably at the center of the base member 1B.' As a result of the construction the upper bearing 12 will rec'eive both vertical and horizontal forces whereas the lower bearing 13 will receive only the horizontal forces.

The boom is attached to the bearings by a fork connection to avoid bending moments.

A light-weight boom which has a high load capacity can be obtained if the components 9, and 11 are constructed from hollow members and interconnected at the ends to form an integral, triangular-shaped boom.

In this form of a boom the lower forces are directly divided into tension and compressive forces which are transmitted to the bearings of the boom. The narrow width of the boom, which can be ascertained by viewing the boom from above as shown in FIGURE 3, enables the bearings to be positioned extremely close to the frame 1. An operators control cabin is mounted on one side of the boom on the compressive member 10 thereof. The cabin is so positioned that when the boom is pivoted in the direction of the cabin, the cabin will be positioned outwardly of the side 18 of the frame. As a result of this arrangement the hoisting cable guide is not obstructed in any way.

At least three sides of the control cabin 14 are enclosed with transparent material so that the crane operator has an excellent view in all directions regardless of the position of the crane.

The control cabin is constructed of the smallest possible size and weight which would still enable the operator to have sufiicient room in which to operate the crane both in the seated and standing positions. In addition to the seat of the operator which is indicated at 14A the control cabin 14 contains various switches and operating levers for directly controlling the crane. Additional electrical devices are positioned on other members of the crane.

The hoisting gear mechanism comprises a winch drum 15 which is so positioned to partially surround a hoisting motor 16 and a reduction gear 17. The hoisting mechanism is positioned Within the bend 11A of the boom connecting member 11. This construction provides for an extremely low weight and a small space requirement. A hoisting cable 18 extends from the drum 15 in two strands over cable pulleys 19 mounted on the outer end of the boom. The cables then pass around a bottom block 20 which carries a hook and then to a balancing or adjusting pulley 21.

In order to pivot the boom with respect to the frame, a motor 22 and a reduction gear 23 driven thereby are both mounted on the compressive member 10 in the central plane of the boom. A semi-circular annular member 24 is welded to the frame base 1B and has a toothed segment 25 mounted thereon. A pinion gear 26 is driven through the gearing 23 and meshes with the toothed segment 25 so as to pivot the boom. The gear 26 is so positioned that it can be removed from below the annular member 24, as can be seen in FIGURE 2 of the drawings.

It is pointed out that the mechanism for pivoting the boom is positioned behind the hoisting mechanism in the central plane of the boom when viewed from the pivotal axis of the boom. By arranging and constructing the hoisting and pivoting mechanisms as described above, the distance between the pivoting axis of the boom and the frame can be relatively small. This not only reduces the space requirements for the crane but also considerably reduces the force exerted on the frame.

Thus it can be seen that the present invention provides an extremely light-weight crane in which the forces acting thereon due to the load are so directed that the stresses on the frame are maintained at a minimum.

It will be understood that this'invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to different usages and conditions and, accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as this invention is:

l. A travelling wall crane supported on horizontal rails mounted on a vertical wall and comprising a triangular frame having one side parallel to the horizontal 4 rails, a boom pivotally mounted on said frame for pivoting movement about a vertical axis, a plurality of wheels on said frame for supporting said frame on said rails, two of said plurality of wheels being so positioned on said one side of said frame so that the vertical forces acting on said wheels passes through the intersections of the ends of said one side with the lower ends of the other two sides of said frame.

2. A travelling wall crane supported on horizontal rails mounted on a vertical wall and comprising a triangular frame having one side parallel to the horizontal rails, the sides of said triangular frame comprising hollow members, a boom pivotally mounted on said frame for pivoting movement about a vertical axis, a plurality of wheels on said frame for supporting said frame on said rails, two of said plurality of wheels being so positioned on said one side of said frame so that the vertical forces acting on said wheels passes through the intersections of the ends of said one side with the lower ends of the other two sides of said frame.

3. A travelling wall crane supported on horizontal rails mounted on a vertical wall and comprising a triangular frame having one side parallel to the horizontal rails, a boom pivotally mounted on said frame for pivoting movement about a vertical axis, a plurality of wheels on said frame for supporting said frame on said rails, two of said plurality of wheels being so positioned on said one side of said frame so that the vertical forces acting on said wheels passes through the intersections of the ends of said one side with the lower ends of the other two sides of said frame, one of said plurality of wheels being mounted at the intersection of said other two sides of said frame for engagement with a horizontal rail.

4. A travelling wall crane supported on horizontal rails mounted on a vertical wall and comprising a triangular frame having one side parallel to the horizontal rails, a boom pivotally mounted on said frame for pivoting movement about a vertical axis, a plurality of wheels on said frame for supporting said frame on said rails, two

of said plurality of wheels being so positioned on said rail.

5. A travelling wall crane supported on horizontal rails mounted on a vertical wall and comprising a frame having one side parallel to the horizontal nails, a first pivotal mount at the intersection of the other two sides of said frame, a second pivotal mount on said one side of said frame at the center line thereof, a boom pivotally mounted on said first and second mounts for pivoting movement about a vertical axis so that said first mount receives both vertical and horizontal forces .and said second mount receives only horizontal forces, a plurality of wheels on said frame for supporting said frame on said rails, two of said plurality of wheels being so positioned on said one side of said frame so that the vertical forces acting on said wheels passes through the intersections of the ends of said one side with the lower ends of the other two sides of said frame.

6. A travelling wall crane supported on horizontal rails mounted on a vertical wall and comprising a triangular frame having one side parallel to the horizontal rails, a boom pivotally mounted on said frame for pivoting movement about a vertical axis, said boom being triangular in shape and having an upper tension member and a lower compression member with an end member connecting the ends of said upper and lower members at the pivotal mount on said frame, a plurality of wheels on said frame for supporting said frame on said rails, two of said plurality of wheels-being so positioned on said one side of said frame so that the vertical forces acting on said wheels passes through the intersections of the ends of said one side with the lower ends of the other two sides of said frame.

7. A travelling wall crane as claimed in claim 6 wherein said boom members are hollow.

8. A travelling wall crane supported on horizontal rails mounted on a vertical wall and comprising a triangular frame having one side parallel to the horizontal rails, a boom pivotally mounted on said frame for pivoting movement about a vertical axis, said boom being triangular in shape and having an upper tension member and a lower compression member with an end member connecting the ends of said upper and lower members at the pivotal mount on said frame, a plurality of wheels on said frame for supporting said frame on said rails, two of said plurality of wheels being so positioned on said one side of said frame so that the vertical forces acting on said wheels passes through the intersections of the ends of said one side with the lower ends of the other two sides of said frame and a control cab mounted on one side of said triangular boom.

9. A travelling wall crane supported on horizontal rails mounted on a vertical wall and comprising a triangular frame having one side parallel to the horizontal rails, a boom pivotally mounted on said frame for pivoting movement about a vertical axis, said boom being triangular in shape and having an upper tension member and a lower compression member with an end member connecting the ends of said upper and lower members at the pivotal mount on said frame, said end member being bent outwardly of said boom, hoisting means for the crane positioned Within said outwardly bent end member, a plurality of wheels on said frame for supporting said frame on said rails, two of said plurality of wheels being so positioned on said one side of said frame so that the vertical forces acting on said wheels passes through the intersections of the ends of said one side with the lower ends of the other two sides of said frame.

10. A travelling wall crane supported on horizontal rails mounted on a vertical wall and comprising a triangular frame having one side parallel to the horizontal rails, a boom pivotally mounted on said frame for pivoting movement about a vertical axis, said boom being triangular in shape and having an upper tension member and a lower compression member With an end member connecting the ends of said upper and lower members at the pivotal mount on said frame, said end member being bent outwardly of said boom, hoisting means for the crane positioned within said outwardly bent end member, said hoisting means comprising a motor, reduction gearing, and a drum partially surrounding said motor and gearing, a plurality of wheels on said frame for supporting said frame on said rails, two of said plurality of Wheels being so positioned on said one side of said frame so that the vertical forces acting on said wheels passes through the intersections of the ends of said one side with the lower ends of the other two sides of said frame.

11. A travelling wall crane supported on horizontal rails mounted on a vertical wall and comprising a triangular frame having one side parallel to the horizontal rails, a boom pivotally mounted on said frame for pivoting movement about a vertical axis, said boom being triangular in shape and having an upper tension member and a lower compression member with an end-member connecting the ends of said upper and lower members at the pivotal mount on said frame, a plurality of wheels on said frame for supporting said frame on said rails, two of said plurality of wheels being so positioned on said one side of said frame so that the vertical forces acting on said wheels passes through the intersections of the ends of said one side with the lower ends of the other two sides of said frame, means in the plane of said triangular boom for pivoting said boom with respect to said frame.

12. A travelling wall crane supported on horizontal rails mounted on a vertical wall and comprising a triangular frame having one-side parallel to the horizontal rails, a boom pivotally mounted on said frame for pivoting movement about a vertical axis, said boom being triangular in shape and having an upper tension member and a lower compression member with an end member connecting the ends of said upper and lower members at the pivotal mount on said frame, a plurality of wheels on said frame for supporting said frame on said rails, two of said plurality of wheels being so positioned on said one side of said frame so that the vertical forces acting on said wheels passes through the intersections of the ends of said one side with the lower ends of the other two sides of said frame, means in the plane of said triangular boom for pivoting said boom with respect to said frame, said pivoting means being mounted between said hoisting means and the outer end of said boom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 707,660 

